The best cheap laptops for 2024, tested and reviewed

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3.

The new 12.4-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 is basically a "Windows Air," said Mashable tech editor Kim Gedeon, with a premium build quality that wouldn't seem out of place among Apple's ranks. And don't get her started about its snappy, spiffy keyboard, which she deemed "one of the best I’ve ever used during my entire career as a laptop reviewer." Alas, its internals are far more underwhelming: Its 12th-generation Intel CPU is now two generations removed in 2024, and its dim display carried over from the 2022 Surface Laptop Go 2. (The base model's memory and storage have doubled, at least.) Still, "I can see this being the daily driver of young students or Gen Z users seeking a laptop that can handle casual usage with style and sophistication," Gedeon wrote.

Read Mashable's review of the HP Victus 16-s0097nr.

Most people's definition of "cheap laptop" is far less than $1,399.99, but as far as gaming laptops go — especially those with a NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU and a large, 144Hz display — this HP Victus 16 is a relatively great value for the money. (It also helps that HP's website frequently puts it on sale for $999.99.) Gedeon was impressed by its cooling power and above-average battery life when she tested it, and found it plenty capable of handling a graphics-heavy game like Cyberpunk 2077. She also loved its minimalist black chassis; it looks like something Batman would play on.

You have to forgo a few nice-to-haves at this price point, like a bright display and portability. (This thing is a chonker.) But it's a "budget-friendly gem" all things considered, said Gedeon.

Gaming Chromebooks are a relatively new species of budget gaming laptop, and the Acer Chromebook 516 GE (the "GE" stands for "gaming edition") was one of the first models to hit the market back in late 2022. It kicked off the genre on a high note: It has plenty of ports, a 1080p webcam, an anti-ghosting RGB keyboard, and a quality (not cheap-feeling) build, said lead shopping reporter Dylan Haas in his review.

It also performed shockingly well in our testing; the games Haas streamed never once lagged or stuttered. But "[the] real showstopper is the laptop's display," he wrote: "[The] 16-inch, 1600p screen looks fantastic and boasts clear, bright, and vibrant colors. It also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, which is amazing for a budget gaming laptop." Its battery life kind of sucks, but that's pretty standard for a gaming laptop — cheap or not. It would be nice if Acer refreshed its 12th-gen Intel CPU, though.

Read Mashable's review of the Framework Laptop (2021).

Note: We'll soon review the next-gen Framework Laptop 16. Preorders for it are now live.

Unlike many consumer laptops, which have soldered-on parts, the 2023 Framework Laptop 13 has fully replaceable and repairable components. It's a bit of an investment upfront, but its modular design translates to long-term savings for users who like to upgrade their specs every few years: Instead of buying another brand-new machine when your processor, RAM, storage, keyboard, or display conk out, you can simply Frankenstein in a different part. And yes, almost anyone can do it: "It's with the tech coward's perspective that I am happy to report the Framework Laptop is nothing short of an industrial design miracle for newcomers," wrote tech reporter Alex Perry, who reviewed an older version. If you feel a little more confident in your computer-tweaking abilities, consider the fully customizable DIY Edition (which starts cheaper at $849) instead of the pre-built version.